In establishing the State's approach to clean air, theLegislature: has declared that an effective research program isan integral part of the broad-based statewide effort to combatair pollution in California; has directed the Air Resources Boardto administer and coordinate all air pollution research funded,in whole or in part, with state funds; has directed the AirResources Board to establish objectives for air pollutionresearch; and has directed the Air Resources Board to appoint aResearch Screening Committee to give advice and recommendationswith respect to air pollution research projects funded by theState.

In order to comply with these mandates from the legislature, theBoard meets, each year, with its Research Screening Committee, toreview the Board's research program, as outlined in the Long-Range Research Plan. This Plan is prepared by the staff, withguidance from the Research Screening Committee.

The Long-Range Research Plan contains a section describing theBoard's goals and objectives and related extramural researchprojects, a section listing recently completed research projects,and a section describing each of the research projects proposedfor the next fiscal year. These projects are divided into sixstudy areas:

For each study area, there is a prioritized list of researchprojects proposed for the next fiscal year, a figure whichrelates these projects to ongoing and future work, and a detaileddiscussion of each proposed project. The discussions include asummary of the research problem, relationship to previous work,description of the proposed approach, and identification ofbenefits to be provided by the study.

This year's Long-Range Research Plan features projects to supportthe Board's activities to reduce emissions from motor vehicles;support the introduction of clean burning fuels; add to ourknowledge of the sources, fate and effects of toxic aircontaminants; provide bases for controlling stationary sourceemissions; better characterize the effects of agriculturalburning; improve our ability to analyze regional air qualityproblems; better define the effects of exposure to air pollutantson human health, and better define the extent of air pollutiondamage to all forms of vegetation.

The Board also conducts a special research program to obtaininformation regarding indoor air quality and personal exposuresto Californians to air pollutants. Health and Safety CodeSection 39660.5 requires the Board to consider indoor exposuresto toxic pollutants in assessing the risk posed by them. However, little information is available regarding indoorexposures. The information obtained through the Indoor AirQuality/Personal Exposure Assessment Five-Year Study Plan will beused by staff to develop more accurate risk assessments,especially for toxic pollutants considered under the Board'sToxic Air Contaminants Program.

ITEM #89-6-2

Public Hearing to Consider the Adoption of an Emission InventoryCriteria and Guidelines Regulation Proposed Pursuant toRequirements of the Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information andAssessment Act of 1987.

RECOMMENDATION

The staff recommends that the Board adopt the proposed emissioninventory criteria and guidelines regulation.

DISCUSSION

The Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Act (the "Act") requires that the ARB,in consultation with the districts, develop criteria andguidelines for the preparation of site-specific air toxicsemission inventory plans by specified facilities by May 1, 1989. For facilities to which the Act applies, facility operators mustprepare and submit these plans to the air pollution controldistricts by August 1, 1989.

The districts must approve, modify, or return the plans to thefacilities for revision within 120 days of receipt. After adistrict approves a plan, the facility operator must implementthe plan within 180 days and submit to the district an emissioninventory report containing the toxics emission data and otherrequired information as set forth in the Act and the proposedregulation.

The Act specifies conditions that must be met for the district toapprove a plan and it sets forth requirements that must beincluded in the guidelines. To comply with these conditions andrequirements, the proposed regulation includes specifications forthe components of the inventory plan and report, reporting forms,requirements for emission quantification by source testing andother measurement or by acceptable estimation methods, aseparation of the list of 326 toxic substances into two groupswith differing inventory requirements, and other specificationsto ensure acceptable emission inventories. The proposedregulation reflects a thorough evaluation by the staff of theminimum level of detail of information needed to fulfill therequirements of the Act and to support the AB 1807 process.